RAYNHAM — A 61-year-old Taunton woman is recovering at a Rhode Island hospital after a head-on collision with a sports utility vehicle in Raynham on Tuesday night.

Janice Nolette, 61, of Taunton, was driving on South Street East in a grey Ford Taurus when her vehicle crossed the center line and struck an oncoming car, according to a statement from the Raynham Police Department. Nolette was seriously injured and had to be extricated from her vehicle by firefighters using hydraulic rescue tools, before she was transported to the hospital by a Medflight helicopter.

An ambulance operated by the Raynham Fire Department brought Nolette to the Walmart parking lot, on Paramount Drive, off Route 44, where the Medflight helicopter picked her up.

Nolette was transported to Rhode Island Hospital, where she was listed as in “fair condition” as of Wednesday afternoon.

Joanne Desousa, 50, of Taunton, was also hurt in the crash and was brought to Morton Hospital with minor injuries. Desousa was driving south on South Street East, which connects Raynham and East Taunton, when the collision took place. The two vehicles were “extensively damaged,” said Raynham Police Chief James Donovan.

No citations were issued thus far in relation to the crash. Donovan said police are still investigating and that they still have people to interview.

Michelle Littlefield, who is known as an outspoken advocate against a proposed tribal resort casino in East Taunton, said she happened to be in a car with her two teenage children driving behind Desousa’s vehicle when the crash took place.

“Horrifying,” Littlefield said. “The woman who was Medflighted was in bad shape, despite being semi-conscious. ... (Before the crash), all I kept thinking was, 'There is no way to avoid this.' It was a 50-50 shot, she was hitting us or the car in front of us. … The two women in the SUV were in complete shock. I can’t thank the nearby neighbors enough. They jumped into action immediately.”

Initially, Raynham police mistakenly said in a statement that Littlefield was injured in the crash. But later Donovan issued a correction, confirming that Littlefield was unharmed, explaining that she was in a third vehicle that was struck by debris and was slightly damaged.

Desousa also had a 22-year-old passenger who was not hurt, Donovan said.

“It all happened so very fast, but we saw it coming,” Littlefield said. “We narrowly missed two collisions – the first impact, and then her car spinning around and coming to a stop, just feet from my car. It keeps playing over and over in my mind.”